Khon performance

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No photography allowed in the auditorium, so these are taken from the newspaper. A stunning performance, very dramatic even though almost everyone wore a mask, and those who didn't showed little facial expression. The expression and intensity was all in body action and voice. Absolute precision with haunting melody, rich harmony, graceful dance--often all three seemed of super-human difficulty.

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The live orchestra and chorus would have been worth a concert evening in themselves. Maybe a dozen women dressed in teal long dresses sat in the front row in "respect position", sitting with feet discreetly tucked behind and both to one side. I kept stealing glances at them during the two-hour performance and they didn't fidget, didn't move perceptably at all except to sing beautifully. Next to them were maybe 10 men, same except the men's "respect position" is kneeling directly on the calves, feet directly behind. Behind them were the orchestra, traditional Thai instruments. This was a very accomplished group, achieved precise unison of 4 players, each playing octaves in rapid time on their xylophone-tray. I'll send pictures of our school kids playing the same thing. There were also Thai flutes and a very haunting oboe-type instrument.

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That, however, was entirely background flavor for the main show. The dancer-actors captured everyone's attention and held it riveted. The program explained that the choreography and songs are as notated in King Rama VI's time (that's King Mongkut, late 19th century), and are mostly unchanged from centuries before that. Elaborate, dazzling costumes, music and pronunciation exaggerated and stylized, dance amounting to acrobatics.

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Imagine dancing with your toes up at a 90 degree angle to the floor, and maintaining that throughout a 10-to-15 minute performance. Then imagine (wearing a skirt, a beautifully embroidered bodice, a cape, and a crown) holding a position for maybe 5 minutes while it's your co-star's turn to shine, then going from complete stillness to a sudden new position with one knee out to the side, foot flexed, toes still flexed upwards, hands poised in dramatic beauty. And now, imperceptably moving the one foot on the floor, rotate through a smooth and graceful 360 degree turn. This takes at least 2 minutes, maybe more, but the audience can't see any hesitation or discontinuity. I held my breath as the actress playing Sida did this move. It was a dramatic part of the action, also impressive for its sheer impossibility. And then she went on to complete the rest of that dance--

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I feel fortunate to have been invited to this performance. About 20 students and 3 teachers from our school bought a group of tickets, and they were kind enough to include me.